Team India legend Yuvraj Singh addressed the necessity for senior players to be given clarity, talking about the future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The veteran batters are in England for the ODI series.
There has been constant pressure on both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to prove themselves in every series to stay in contention to make the 2027 World Cup squad. Having faced a similar uncertainty during his playing days, Yuvraj Singh reckoned that it must be left to the management and selectors to make the call.
He expressed that if the management wants the veteran batters at the World Cup, then it has to be communicated to them, and there must be no pressure of being judged after each series.
“I have been in that position. And now, since Rohit and Virat are in that position, it’s not fair for us to judge that position, whether they should play or not. It’s the team management, the coach, the selectors who have to decide that. If you want them to play the World Cup, you have to put your hand on their shoulders and tell them that, listen guys, we want you to play the World Cup, we are backing you all the way. Go out there and be yourself. There is no stress that tomorrow, if you don’t have a good series, that you are not going to be in the team. You need to have that clarity with the coach, captain, selector, whatever it is,” he said on Star Sports during the third ODI.
“Because I did not have that clarity. And I thought that was not good for someone who has represented India for so many years. And obviously, Virat and Rohit are of such big stature, what they have contributed, what they have given to the game. So, it’s important we have that clarity with them, what we want from them,” he added.
Yuvraj has revealed multiple times that Yuvraj revealed he lacked clarity regarding his international future and was not treated with the respect a veteran deserved during the final phase of his career.
Rohit Sharma’s retirement rumours die down
Ahead of the third ODI against England at Lord’s, a report emerged which stated that it would be Rohit Sharma’s last international game, with the selectors having communicated wanting to move on from him.
The rumours gained strong traction as Rohit had failed to do well in the first two ODIs of the series. However, the air was cleared by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, who clarified that the rumours were false. He added that there were no discussions that the Lord’s ODI would be Rohit Sharma’s last.
Devajit Saikia also stated that the veteran batter was a regular member of the side and would go on to play till he remained in the scheme of things.
Edited by Rishab Vm